Physics: Free fall

Physics: Free fall

1. Is when an object experiences only one force--Gravitational pull.

   • This means free fall only truly occurs in a...
     • Vacuum
       • Where there is no air resistance (because in a vacuum, there is no air).
   • This causes the object to have a constant acceleration of 9.81 ms^-2 (Earth's gravitational acceleration).
     • Because there is no air resistance, all objects will fall with the uniform acceleration of 9.81 ms^-2, and reach the ground at the same time.
       • This is regardless of their size, mass, surface area, etc.
       • Example for you to picture in your head: In a vacuum, if a feather and a bowling ball were dropped at the same time, both objects would reach the ground at the same time.
         • (This is hard to picture but it is proven, there is a video on this.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E43-CfukEgs
           •  Note to self: the video is in your physics folder in your computer
       • Without a vacuum, a heavier object would fall to the ground first.
         • Factors such as mass and surface area (which will affect air resistance) will affect the speed of the falling object.